The Co-operative supermarket

From DB Cooper

Sunday, 9 April 2017

It looks like there are already a number of old threads expressing dissatisfaction with our local public convenience store, but I want to know, who should I complain to? Trading standards re: overcharging? Environmental health re: hygiene? Regional office re: appalling stock control?

Where should I start, or is this simply a lost cause, and should I just shop at Tod's two affordable supermarkets instead?

From Mike S

Monday, 10 April 2017

I have been a long time supporter of the Coop group but I too am dismayed by the Hebden Bridge branch. So many times I go to find poor choice of fresh food or an empty shelf. This started after the revamp a few years ago and I do try to shop there but get more and more frustrated every time. Combined with the Hebden Bridge parking problems discussed many times on this forum, I now choose to do my shopping in Tod.

From Marnie Clarke

Monday, 10 April 2017

DB Cooper, sadly I think it is a lost cause.

I find it annoying how historically people have treated Co-Op like it is a corner shop and should be treated as such. Co-Op is a huge corporation of the likes of the dreaded Tesco; we should demand and receive more.

Credit where it is due – the store is better laid out and there are more people on the tills. Stock control is slightly better but still has a long way to go. I went in the other week to find hardly any veg at 8.00pm. Comparatively, they have jars of dried porcini mushrooms which whilst great, isn’t really what you want/need from your co-op. I don’t want specialised ingredients in the Co-Op, I want the basics they seem to lack every week. I feel it is a waste of an aisle to have the electrical goods that they do.

I do not know where we go from here; the countless meetings seem to have achieved nothing. I now just get my bits of shopping before I get the train home as sadly, I cannot count on my local Co-Op.

From Kez Armitage

Monday, 10 April 2017

I don't want to be one of the 'Here we go again' brigade, but, erm... here we go again! The protestations over the last ten years and more have resulted in no real improvements (apart from the 'act of God' a couple of years ago which at least gave us a better laid out store) and there's really no reason to think that anything will significantly change for the better.

I remember going to the public inquiry into the development of Brown's Field, where we learned that the Coop in Hebden was one of their highest overtrading stores (in other words one of their stores where their infrastructure simply couldn't keep pace with demand). This was one of the reasons the Brown's development was given the go-ahead. It's just sad that nothing has happened on that front; another substantial supermarket in Hebden would have concentrated the corporate Coop mind, and perhaps led to a better service.

So the advice is the same as virtually everyone else. Go to Tod (Morrisons, Lidl, a great market, and a prospective Aldi) for your main shop and use the Coop for those 'top up' pints of milk, bags of potatoes etc. It deserves no better.

From DB Cooper

Monday, 10 April 2017

Well, after just attempting to buy six items, and having being overcharged for two of them (at least, I would've been had I not have complained) I reckon enough is enough. Apologists be damned, I'm on the the dole and can't afford to be overcharged in this manner.

From Mark Timmerman

Thursday, 13 April 2017

Yep, Co-op a good shop, but I wish they would keep their car park clean, as a supporter of the community, I wish they would set the standard on picking up the litter.

From Jack Hughes

Friday, 19 May 2017

Would've been overcharged in there myself the other day, if it wasn't for me not actually having enough money to pay the stupid price the till demanded. The shop floor staff are great (or stoic), the supervisors seem to vary between a harassed/ resigned demeanour. Who is in truth ultimately responsible for this infuriating habit of mispricing?

Previously

HebWeb Forum: igh Prices at the Hebden Bridge Co-op (July-Aug 2015)

HebWeb Forum: Can you count on the Co-op? (Jan-Feb 2013)

BBC Radio Four: Hebden Bridge and its Co-op featured in this programme - about 11 minutes in (21 Dec 2012)

Hebden Bridge Web

The Co-operative supermarket